News Releases

REF NO.: 152

SUBJECT:

Increasing co-operation between College of the North Atlantic and Memorial University marked with new campus sign

DATE:

April 22, 2003

College of the North Atlantic and Memorial University recently unveiled the new campus sign highlighting the partnership between both public and post-secondary institutions. Taking part in the ceremony were, from left, Dr. Georgina Hedges, vice-chair, Memorial Board of Regents; Walwin Blackmore, mayor, Grand Falls-Windsor; Len Winsor, board member, College of the North Atlantic; Pamela Walsh, president, College of the North Atlantic; Anna Thistle, minister, Youth Services and Post-Secondary Education; and Dr. Axel Meisen, president, Memorial University of Newfoundland.(click for large version)

College of the North Atlantic and Memorial University have had a long and fruitful history of partnership. The university and the college continue to strengthen their ties at the college's Grand Falls-Windsor campus and recently erected a sign to mark their increasing co-operation and expanding number of educational programs being offered in central Newfoundland. On April 22, 2003, Pamela Walsh, the president of the college, and Dr. Axel Meisen, the president of Memorial, met with community leaders at the college, the site of the new sign.

"College of the North Atlantic prides itself on providing quality, accessible post-secondary education that allows students to immediately enter the workforce upon graduation or transfer to degree-granting institutions with advanced standing," President Walsh said. "Our partnership with Memorial accomplishes just that and we are excited to see the continued growth of this partnership at our Grand Falls-Windsor campus."

For several years, students from the Grand Falls-Windsor region have been able to take courses at the college and then have those courses count towards a degree at Memorial. The College University Transfer program (CUTY) includes courses such as English, mathematics, physics, biology chemistry, history, and more. The CUTY program has helped students by giving them an extra year living closer to home which lowers their costs and also gives them more time to decide whether or not to continue to pursue their studies.

"We are expanding opportunities for all students, including those who may not have thought of attending university," Dr. Meisen said. "With co-operation from the college, we are able to reach out to students in rural areas and offer them a wider range of post-secondary educational experiences. We look forward to expanding and strengthening our partnership with College of the North Atlantic."

"The Central Newfoundland University Committee has been encouraging Memorial and College of the North Atlantic to enhance the profile of their co-operation, especially in relationship to Memorial programs, courses and other offerings. This event is another step in this continuing progress," added Grand Falls-Windsor Mayor Walwin Blackmore.

The university and the college recently expanded the CUTY program so that students can now complete two years of the bachelor of business administration (BBA) degree. In the future, a student might even be able to complete the remaining period of study in the BBA program by distance.

"We have always had a very good relationship with the administrators of the college's Grand Falls-Windsor campus," said Dr. Michael Collins, associate vice-president (academic) at Memorial. "Much has been done behind the scenes and we are all interested in further developing the partnership for the academic benefit of students at both institutions. This partnership works, and there are still new ways to explore how we can work together."